Cage for antifriction bearings



Feb. 18, 1930. B N 1,747,736

CAGE FOR ANTIFR'ICTION BEARINGS Filed Aug. 25. 1926 Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES THOMAS L. aonmson, OF V'ALPARAISO, INDIANA.

" CAGE FOE ANTIFRICTION BEARINGS Application filed August 23, 1926. Serial No. 131,060.

The invention relates to ball. spacing cages for bearings of the annular type, which are interposed between the outer and inner raceways for the purpose of keeping the balls '5 in proper spaced relation, and particularly to a cage that canbe employed in either a sin le or double row annular ball bearing.

'fhere are many types of cages for this purpose made in various manners, materials m and number of pieces. In all such constructions, pockets or chambers are provided which partially surround the balls, contactiug at various points on the surface of the balls. In some instances cages are made in two pieces and riveted together after being assembled in the bearing. of cage lends itself quite readily to assembly in a single row bearing, but becomes difiicult to assemble in a double row bearing where 0 the space between the two rows of balls is inaccessible and two distinct cages arenecessary.

My invention contemplates a one piece cage that can be stamped out of sheet metal or completely die cast in one operation, and that can be employed in either a single or double row bearing. Its assembly in the bearing is extremely simple and the balls can be all locked in place by a single operation in a simple press whether the assembly is being made in a single row or a double row hearing. In the absence of a press, the locking can be accomplished by hand with such simple tools as a hammer and a punch. I Furthermore infield service where far removed from special tool equipment, the bearing can be disassembled by hand using a hammer and punch. This is particularly useful as when necessary a cracked ball can be removed, a new ball substituted and a new cage Installed without the necessity of specially prepared devices'or tools.

With the above and other ob ects in view, my, invention consists of the arrangement, combination and construction of the various elements of my improved device as described in the specification, claimed in my claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 depicts a double row bearing with The two piece type the outer raceway partially removed to disclose some of the balls, a locked and an unlocked cage.

Fig. 2 is an edgewise view'of an unlocked cage ready for assembly.

3 is a side or flat view of the cage by itsel Fig. 4 is .a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 or Fig. 3.

F ig. 5 1s a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 or Fig. 3. a

In the drawings 11 is the outer raceway of a double row annular ball bearing partiallycut away at 12-12 disclosing several offthe balls 13. 14 indicates an embodiment of my cage just as it is inserted between the raceways and before the locking operation has been performed. 15 depicts the shape of the cage after the locking operation has been performed by the locking tool or punch 16. v

The partition, wall or link 17 between adjacent ball pocket walls is originally made curved in form, the linear dimension of this curved link 17 being suflicient to cause the ball pocket walls to be beiit in against the balls and lock them in place when thelink 17 is made straight or fiat by pressure or blows from the tool 16. In quantity manufacture, this operation is performed in a punch press with a gang of punches in one fixture, one punch for each interpocket space in each cage. This means that for a double row bearing having ten balls in each groove, the gang would have ten punches in the upper fixture and ten in the lower fixture and closing the press once wouldlock all of the balls in place by straightening out the twenty interpccket links or partitions simultaneously.

When the curved interpocket link 17 has been straightened out by means of the tool 16, it assumes-the form of a straight wall or link 18. It will be noted that as originally provided the links 17 are recessed to extend backwardly between the walls of the pockets so that when said links are straightened out the ends of said walls are forced apart by the toggle action of said links and the balls thereby retained in said pockets. This'arrangement constitutes a positive one for the purunsupported hp pose and one which automatically locks the alls in retained positions. The base ring 19 terminates at o near the plane of the ball centers leaving the openings 20, so that the portions of the ball pocket walls toward the center of the bearing (measured axially) are the ring 19 and can be bent in against the alls 13 when the interpocket links 17 are straightened into the form 18. It is also to be noted that by this arrangement the links 17 are connected with the base member onl by their connections with the walls of the all pockets so that there will be no distortion of the base member when the links are straightened out.

It will be seen that in one piece, and can be made a sheet metal stamping or preferably in a metal mold in a single die casting operation. It will be evident that my cage will serve and easily assemble in either a single or double row bearing with equal facility. The operation of straightening'the interpocket link 17 into the form 18 would require only one gang punch fixture in the case of a single row bearing, the raceways resting on a fiat table instead of a gang punch fixture. In my construction it will be noted that the walls of the ball pockets as carried in beyond the center of the balls and joining the interpocket links 17 (18), structure, leaving nothing resembling flaps, ears or fingers to break 01f and ruin a cage and perhaps a whole bearing. It will be noted that no part of my cage can become a loose piece by breaking through a single wall anywhere. In order my cage into a bearing, two walls would have to be broken through thus making my structure twice as strong as those constructions em loying flaps, ears or fingers.

hould it become necessary to tear down a my entire cage is made makes for a very strong P to drop a loose piece of What I claim is: i

1. A spacing cage for ball bearings comprising a single substantially cylindrical base rin ball pockets provided with openings in their lateral'sides initiallyproportioned to permit the passage of balls therethroughinto said ball pockets, the full depth of said ball pockets, in axial planes of the base rin bein greater than the radii of the balls, an ben able deformed links which connect the adjacent edges of the openings in the walls of adjacent ball ockets, the relation bein such that when said links are straightene sufficiently, they will exert a toggle action on the walls of the ball sockets connected thereby, respectively, an will bend the same. around balls contained in said pockets, and the relation being such also that the width of the openings in the sides of the ball pockets of the finished cage will be less than the diameter of the balls.

2. A spacing cage for ball bearings as specified in claim 1, in which the base ring has a clear diameter proportioned to fit a bearing member with slight clearance.

3. A spacing cage as specified in claim 1,

in which the deformation of the links which connect the adjacent edges of the openings in the walls of adjacent ball pockets is in the direction of the closed sides of said ball ockets. I I

4. A spacing cage as s ecified in claim 1, in which the proximate e ges of the base ring and links which connect the walls of adjacent ball pockets are :Fflfied apart.

T OMAS L. ROBINSON.

bearing equipped with my cage at a place 7 where special tools were not available, a hand punch such as 16 could be placed against the fiat wall or link 18, and the punch struck with a hammer until the link 18 was bent down and drew the ball pocket walls apart sufficiently to release the cage. This of course would destroy the cage, but the operation is quick, simple and cheap and requires no special tools. The removal of the cage permits the replacement of damaged balls followed by the insertion of a new cage, whereupon the link 17 can be bent down into the form 18 by usin the same hammer and punch, yet permittlng an accurate assembly.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a new and useful construction in a very simple manner. Obviously changes in detail can be made by anyone skillful in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not care to limit myself to any particular arrangement of these elements. 

